Early next month, HP will host a press event that will focus on the webOS mobile operating system it now manages thanks to the Palm acquisition. While the event could cover anything from strategy to devices, some product-related goodies are likely a safe bet. After all, HP is due to release a host of devices this year, so it better start announcing them soon. Thanks to some loose lips, it now looks like a webOS tablet announcement is all but confirmed. Todd Bradley, EVP of HP’s Personal Devices Group, basically told CNBC in an interview that HP’s first iPad competitor will be revealed at the event next month. When asked questions regarding how future HP tablets might differentiate themselves from the iPad, Bradley responded, “you and I will talk about that on the 9th.” We read you loud and clear, Todd. Hit the break for a video of the interview with CNBC. More →

Uh oh, it’s definitely going down — in addition to the flood of tablet devices headed to CES and Apple’s rumored next event detailing the new iPad around February, HP just sent out invites to a webOS event of its own happening on February 9th. What are we expecting? You mean besides the first PalmPad tablets? The wording on the invitation, pictured above, could mean we’re in store for multiple devices of varying sizes, thought we’re just speculating for the time being. The odds are good, however, that we can now completely discount earlier reports of Palm unveiling its PalmPad line at CES. But don’t despair, webOS fans… your OS of choice is just over a month away from being supersized.

If a report from financial paper The Taiwan Economic Times is to be believed, freshly acquired Palm Inc. is getting ready to fire up the afterburners and fuel them with bags full of HP’s cash. The paper cites industry sources in claiming that Chinese manufacturing giants Foxconn and Compal were recently awarded new contracts for a total of five to six new Palm-branded devices. Among them is the fabled PalmPad, a webOS-powered tablet that will compete with the Apple iPad, the BlackBerry PlayBook and the flurry of Android tablets currently bombarding the market. Each of the aforementioned five to six devices will reportedly go on sale in 2011.